Agreements reached

Recent agreements with the Dalhousie Faculty Association (DFA) and the Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union (NSGEU) herald “a positive labour relations environment for our university,” says Dalhousie President Tom Traves.

“I believe the strong endorsement of these settlements from all sides will contribute favourably to our future, and to our long-term goal of making Dalhousie University the best in Canada,” says Dr. Traves. “I would like to extend my appreciation to all of the bargaining teams for the time, commitment and hard work that have created such a positive result. Our entire community has gained from this stability.”

"We needed a bit of help"

Negotiators for the DFA and the university reached a new four-year agreement with the help of conciliator Charlie Weir, appointed by the Minister of Environment and Labour, on January 20. The tentative agreement was ratified earlier this month by the DFA membership with 96 per cent voting in favour. It was then approved by the Board of Governors during its meeting last Tuesday.

The DFA represents 869 professors, instructors, librarians and professional counsellors at Dalhousie.

“The agreement is a huge relief for everybody,” says Kevin Grundy, DFA president and associate professor in the Department of Chemistry.  “The situations at Acadia and St. Thomas were on everyone’s minds. Talks didn’t go as smoothly (as negotiations in 2003-04) when we achieved an agreement at the table, and we needed a bit of help. But I would say everyone’s very happy in the rank and file.”

Under the terms of the settlement, DFA members will see their salaries increase by three per cent for 2007-08, three per cent for 2008-09, three per cent for 2009-2010 and 3.4 per cent for 2010-11. The settlement also includes a “comparability adjustment” to bring salaries at Dalhousie more in line with similar positions at other comparable universities. “That’s important in terms of recruiting and retaining good people at Dal,” says Elizabeth Kay-Raining Bird, chief negotiator for the DFA and a professor in the School of Human Communication Disorders.

“We’re happy to see this agreement reached without a strike or a job action,” says Mike Tipping, president of the Dalhousie Student Union. “Students are relieved to see these things resolved; it allows them to focus on their studies.”

NSGEU agreement

Local 77 of the NSGEU and negotiators for the Board of Governors came to a tentative agreement on January 23 after two months of talks. The agreement was ratified by the membership during voting on February 12 and 13 at all three Dalhousie campuses.

The three-year agreement resolved compensation issues, including increases for salaries (three per cent raises to the top of the salary scale for all classifications), shift differentials and standby pay. Adjustments for C5 and C6 classifications were made to address internal equity concerns. The new agreement also provides a 10-week parental leave top-up for biological fathers. (This 10-week entitlement is already in place for adoptive parents. Biological mothers are covered by pregnancy leave which provides for a top-up of up to 17 weeks.)

“The tone of discussions was productive and positive,” says Heather Williamson, director of employee relations with Dalhousie’s Human Resources.

NSGEU’s Local 77 represents approximately 800 clerical, secretarial and technical workers at Dalhousie.

Human Resources is now working on implementing salary increases. All adjustments will be included in the March payroll for faculty and the February payroll for support staff.